Self-defense forces have declared a state of emergency and full mobilization in the eastern region of Lugansk, amid Kiev’s punitive military operation in the region.

The people’s governor of the Lugansk region, Valery Bolotov, has
issued a statement declaring the state of emergency in the
region, the representative of the so-called united army of the
south-east told RIA Novosti.

The Kiev authorities do not wish to resolve the conflict
peacefully, Bolotov stressed in his statement, referring to the
increase of military presence in eastern Ukraine and the punitive
operation launched by Kiev.

“Dozens killed in Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, dozens burned
alive in Odessa – this is their way of fulfilling our demands and
the obligations of the Geneva agreement,” he said in his
statement.

The state of emergency implies first of all “full
mobilization of the male population and the introduction of
curfew hours from 11pm to 6am in the Lugansk region,” the
statement read.

The protest leader made an urgent appeal to create self-defense
HQs in every city, to be coordinated by the central army of the
south-east. He called on the heads of these HQs to begin
preparing immediately to defend their cities.

Bolotov ordered all security forces who are not Lugansk residents
to leave the region before 3 pm GMT, while summoning regional
heads of the Interior Ministry, Security Council and the army to
arrive at the army’s HQ in the south-east and “take an oath
of allegiance to the people of the Lugansk region.”

In the case on noncompliance, they will be declared “traitors"
and wartime measures will be applied to punish them, the
statement read.

All political parties and public organizations’ activities are
from now on banned, while the ultra-nationalist Right Sector and
other ultra-right groups are declared illegal, Bolotov stressed.

The head of Lugansk police, Anatoly Naumenko, appointed at the
end of April, has urged his colleagues to evacuate their families
from the city because of an expected Kiev assault with ACPs and
artillery, a source told RIA Novosti. However, anti-Kiev
protesters said they had no such information but “are
preparing for any development of events.”

“All police officers in Lugansk are on duty in emergency
mode. No assault with ACPs and artillery is expected,” the
Lugansk police press service said in a statement.

Coup-imposed Kiev authorities launched a punitive operation on
Slavyansk, controlled by the region’s self-defense, on Friday
morning. Civilians were blockaded inside the anti-government
stronghold with military helicopters and APCs surrounding the
city.

Later on Friday, the southern city of Odessa witnessed violence
as radical militants torched the House of Trade Unions killing
dozens. The tragedy was triggered by clashes between anti- and
pro- Kiev rallies. On Saturday morning the Ukrainian military
occupied the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, after an
overnight assault operation. Security forces “shot at
everyone, including civilians,” a self-defense HQ member
claimed, as cited by Interfax. About 10 people had been
reportedly killed overnight, and up to 10 later in the morning.

In response to these events Russia condemned the position of Kiev
and its Western allies adding that they bear full responsibility
for the recent bloodshed in Ukraine.

“The authorities in Kiev not only bear direct responsibility,
but are complicit in these criminal activities. Their arms are up
to the elbows in blood,” spokesperson for Russian President
Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, said in a statement.